Hitch with cable and winch



United States Patent [72] Inventor Irving L. Melroe Lisbon, NorthDakaota 58054 [2]] Appl. No. 755,331 [22] Filed Aug. 26, 1968 [45]Patented Nov. 24, 1970 [54] HITCH WITH CABLE AND WINCI-I 5 Claims, 3Drawing Figs. v

[52] US. Cl 280/477, 280/480 [51] Int. Cl B60d 1/18, 862d 53/00 [50]Field of Search 280/477, 478, 479, 480, 49l(.8)

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,692,071 11/1928 Austin eta1 280/515 280/421 1,730,077 10/1929 Isachsen Primary Examiner- LeoFriaglia Attorney-Frederick E. Lange, John J. Held, Jr., and Eugene L.Johnson ABSTRACT: Apparatus for hitching an implement to a prime mover.A cable, wound around a winch, passes through a hitch seat and isattached to a removable hitch bar. The hitch bar may be removed from thehitch seat as the cable unwinds, attached to the implement, and thendrawn into seated position by reeling-in the cable to thereby pull theimplement to the prime mover. Releaseable means is provided for lockingthe hitch bar in its seated position. Removable stop means is providedfor preventing the hitch from being drawn completely through the hitchseat as the cable is reeled-in.

atenked av. 24, 197

INVENTOR.

P V/A/G .L MELQJE HITCH WllTI-I CABLE AND WINCH BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The invention pertains to the field of attaching towedimplements to a prime mover. More particularly, it relates to means forfacilitating the attachment of a towed implement to a prime mover toenable one operator to accomplish the task. It also relates to the fieldof self-rescue of a prime mover from a bogged-down position.

While various means have been discussed in theprior art for attaching atowed implement to a prime mover and for self rescue from a bogged-downor stuck position, the prior art fails to discuss the specificadvantages of the present invention. The prior art patents of Wylie(11.5. Pat. No. 1,537.2I3)

and Forrest (US. Pat. No. 1,500,740) discuss means lor' rescuing a primemover and its towed implement out of u bogged-down position, but thelocking features of the present invention are not discussed. The Smithpatent (US. Pat. No. 2,306.23 lsimilarly fails'to discuss the lockingand seating features of the present invention.

In attaching a towed implement to a prime mover, it has always been aproblem to achieve a registration between the implement drawbar and thetractor drawbar. The problem is derived from the fact that both theimplement and prime mover have considerable mass or weight which cannotbe easily and precisely moved in the small increments necessary toobtain precise registration of the implement drawbar with the tractordrawbar. The present invention solves this problem to the extent thatthe hitching operation may be accomplished by one man only. Thus, withthe present invention, it is not neces sary to have one man standing atthe implement drawbar ready to insert the pin, while another manoperates the prime mover.

The present invention also provides significant advantages in the fieldofself'rescue.

SUMMARY The present invention consists of an apparatus for attaching atowed implement to a prime mover. It includes a hitch bar and a hitchscat mounted to the prime mover and adapted to accept the hitch bar inseated engagement therewith. A winch is mounted to the prime mover anddriven by actuating means mounted thereto. A cable extends from thewinch through the hitch seat and to the hitch bar. Means is provided forreleaseably locking the hitch bar to the hitch seat when seated therein.Means is also provided for self-alignment of the hitching mechanismduring the hitching operation.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide means forattaching a towed implement to a prime mover which allows the attachmentto be accomplished by one operator only.

It is also an object to provide hitching means which is selfaligningduring hitching operation, and which is characterized by a flared hitchseat which further facilitates seating of the hitch bar.

It is also an object to provide a hitching mechanism with removablemeans for defining the seated position of thehitch bar which, whenremoved, allows the hitch bar to be passed through the hitch seat foruse in front of the prime mover. It is also an object to provide meansfor unlocking the hitch bar from the hitch seat which means may beoperated by the operator seated on the prime mover.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. l is a side view which shows a prime mover(in this case a farm tractor) with the present invention mountedthereto.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention and shows thenovel hitch mechanism. A portion of the tractor drawbar assembly hasbeen removed and the means for actuating the winch has also beenremoved.

FIG. 3 is a vertical longitudinal view of the present invention andshows the hitch bar in its seated position, the release- DESCRIPTION OFPREFERRED EMBODIMENT .hitch mechanism 12. Cable 14 is wound around winchl and extends rcarwardly through flared hitch seat 16 to connect withhitch bar 17. Hitch bar 17 may he removed from seated engagement withhitch seat tn. as cable M unwinds from winch 15, and attached by meansof pin 18 to implement drawbar '13. Winch 15 is then actuated toreel-incable 14. thereby drawing hitch bar 17 and the implement (not shownattached thereto into hitched relationship with prime movei 10. Whenseated, hitch bar 17 is pinned to hitch seat 16 as shown at pin 19.

The detailed nature'of the present invention may be understood withreference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. With reference first to FIG. 1, the winchassembly 11., includes a pair of vertical mounting brackets 20 which aremounted to the bottom of the tractor frame by means offasteners 21.Winch 15 is rotatable on shaft 22 which extends through both of themounting brackets 20. A pair of braces 23 extend from shaft 22 forwardly and upwardly and attach securely to the tractor frame by'means offasteners 24. Winch 15 therefore securely mounted for rotation about theaxis of shaft 22.

Hydraulic motor 25 which includes hydraulic fluid lines 26 is mounted tomotor bracket 27, which in turn, is mounted to vertical bracket 20 in aconventional driving connection (not shown), provided from hydraulicmotor 25 to winch 15.

While those skilled in the art may prefer other ways and types of winchaccentuating means, and while other ways and types may be desirable forother applications of the principles of the present invention, onesuitable winch and hydraulic motor is availablefrom the Tulsa WinchDivision of Vickcrs Mobile Hydraulics Division of Sperry RandCorporation. More particularly, one suitable winch and motor unitavailable from Sperry Rand Corporation (Tulsa Winch Division) is ModelNumber l-l5D2, 4,000 pounds line pull, 27 FPM line speed, and 16 GPM at1800 rpm.

The detailed nature of hitch mechanism 12 may be best understood withreference to FIGS. 2v and 3. Hitch seat 16 is welded to tractor drawbar30 and is provided with a flared receiving end 31. The flared portion 31of hitch seat 16 serves to channel hitch bar 17 into its seated positionas cable 14 is reeled-in. The seated position of hitch bar 17 is definedby a pair of pins 32 which extend through tractor drawbar 30 and hitchseat 16, as best seen in FIG. 3. Seating pins 32 are attached to acommon plate 33 which is provided with a ring 34 to facilitate insertionand removal of the two pins simultaneously. Pins 32 straddle cable 14and provide a surface against which hitch bar 17 bottoms, to therebydefine the seated position, as will be more fully explained below. Whenit is desired to pull hitch bar 17 completely through hitch seat 16,pins 32 may be removed.

When in the seated position, opening 35 of hitch bar 17 is inregistration with upper and lower openings 36 ofhitch seat 16, best seenin FIG. 3. Consequently, pin 19 may be inserted through the registeredopenings 35 and 36 to thereby lock hitch bar 17 in seated relationshipwith hitch seat 16.

Locking pin 1) is mounted on rocker 40 by means of link 41. Link 41provides a pivotally and arcuately movable joint between pin 19 androcker 40 to thereby allow pin 19 to move longitudinally and angularlywith respect to rocker 40 during insertion and removal. Rocker 401 ismounted for pivotal movement on rocker brackets 42, best seen in FIGS. 2and 3. Spring 43 extends from a stud (not shown) mounted to rocker 40,to stud 44 mounted to hitch seat 16. Thus rocker 40 is urged in acounterclockwise direction about its pivotal connection to brackets 42,as viewed in FIG. 3, to thereby hold pin 19 in the inserted positionshown in FIG. 3. When it is desired to remove pin 19 and thereby unlockhitch bar 17 from its seating relationship with hitch 'seat 16, rocker40 may be pivoted in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3 bypulling on rope 45. Thus, an operator seated on tractor may unlock hitchbar 17 by pulling on rope 45 to thereby withdraw pin 19 and release theimplement from hitched relationship with the tractor, without leavingthe tractor seat.

The mounting of the hitch mechanism 12 to the tractor 10 may be bestseen in FIGS. 1 and 2. Tractor drawbar 30 is pivotally mounted to thelower frame of tractor 10 by means of pin 50 and bushing 51. A pair oidrawbar brackets 52 are mounted to pin 53 which also serves as a meansfor mounting roller 54. Tractor drawbar 30 is suspended on brackets 52.Roller 54 rides on arcuate track 55 which is suspended from the frame oftractor 10. A series of openings 56 is provided in arcuate track 55 toserve as a means for fixing the position of roller 54 when pins (notshown) are inserted therein. With the mounting described above, thetractor drawbar 30 may be pivotally moved about pin 50 to thereby allowhitch mechanism 12 to assume a position in alignment with cable 14 undertension. The importance of this feature will be more particularlydescribed below.

In operation, when it is desired to attach an implement to hitchmechanism 12, pin 19 is removed by pulling upwardly on rope 45. Hitchbar 17 may then be withdrawn from hitch seat 16 and, as cable 14unwinds, may be attached to implement drawbar 13 by pin 18. The operatorthen starts hydraulic motor 25 which actuates winch to thereby reel-incable 14 and draw hitch bar 17 into seated engagement with hitch seat16. Seating pins 32 stop hitch bar 17 when opening 35 1 becomesregistered with openings 36. Pin 19 is then inserted under the force ofspring 43 and hitch bar 17 is lockedto hitch seat 16. During the processof inserting pin 19 into the registered openings 35 and 36, link 41allows pin 19 to both pivot and be displaced to thereby insure a goodalignment with the openings 35 and 36. I

As cable 14 is reeled-in on winch 15 to thereby pull implement drawbar13 into hitched relationship with prime mover 10 as described above,tractor drawbar 30 is free to pivot about pin 50 as roller 54 tracks onarcuate track 55. Thus, if there is any misalignment between the initialposition of hitch mechanism 12 and implement drawbar 13, tractor drawbar30 of hitch mechanism 12 is free is pivot about pin 51 to thereby alignitself with cable 14 under tension. Flared portion 31 of hitch seat 16serves to further guide hitch bar 17 into its proper seated position inhitch seat 16 during the foregoing operation.

in the event that tractor 10 becomes bogged-down and is unable to moveforward with an implement attached, the

. operator seated on tractor 10 may pull on rope 45 thereby unlockinghitch bar 17 from hitch seat 16. With hydraulic motor 25 disconnected.tractor 10 may be driven forwardly out of its bogged-down position ascable 14 unwinds from winch 15. When tractor l0 reached stable ground,hydraulic motor 25 may be actuated to reel-in cable 14 on winch 15 andpull the implement to the tractor for attachment once again in themanner described above.

The present invention may also be used as an aid in moving tractor 10out of an extreme bogged-down position, that is, one in which thetractor cannot be driven out even after disconnecting the implement. Forthat purpose, seating pins 32 may be removed along with locking pin 19and hitch bar 17 may be pulled completely through hitch seat 16. Hitchbar 17 may then be positioned forwardly of the tractor and fixed at thatpoint. More particularly, hitch bar 17 may be attached to a dead man,tree or some other fixed object in front of the tractor. Hydraulic motor25 may then be actuated to reel-in cable 14 on winch 15 therebyproviding an additional motivating force to movetractor 10 from theextreme boggeddown position. The present invention may then serve toallow tractor l0 to pull itselfout of the stuck osition.

Variations may be made in the esign of the preferred embodiment withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and the scope ofthe attached claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed:

lclaim:

1. Apparatus for attaching an implement to a prime mover comprising:

a hitch bar having an opening therein;

a hitch seat adapted for mounting to said prime mover and adapted toaccept said hitch bar in seated engagement therewith, said hitch seathaving an opening disposed to register with said opening in said hitchbar when said hitch bar is seated therein;

removable means for stopping said hitch bar in seated engagement in saidhitch seat with said opening in said hitch bar in registration with saidopening in said hitch seat. said hitch bar being slidable completelythrough said hitch seat when said removable means is removed;

a winch adapted for mounting to said prime mover;

means for driving said winch;

flexible means attached to said hitch bar and extending to said winch;and

a pin for releasably locking said hitch bar in seated engagement withsaid hitch scat including means for inserting and removing said pin fromsaid openings.

2. A prime mover having apparatus for attaching an implement thereto andfor pulling said prime mover from a stuck position comprising:

a hitch bar;

a flared hitch seat mounted to said prime mover and adapted to acceptsaid hitch bar in seated engagement therewith;

a winch mounted to said prime mover;

a hydraulic motor drivingly connected to said winch;

a cable attached to said hitch bar and wound on said winch;

means for releasably locking said hitch bar in seated engagement withsaid hitch seat comprising:

a hitch pin,

an opening in said hitch seat,

an opening said hitch bar disposed to register with said opening in saidhitch seat when said hitch bar is seated therein, and

means for inserting and removing said pin from said openings; and

removable means for stopping said hitch bar in seated engagement in saidhitch seat with said opening in said hitch bar in registration with saidopening in said hitch seat, said hitch bar being slidable completelythrough said hitch seat when said removable means are removed from saidhitch seat.

3. The prime mover of claim 2 wherein said removable means for stoppingsaid hitch bar in seated engagement in said hitch seat with saidopenings in registration comprises a pair of removable pins extendingtransversely through said hitch seat on opposite sides of said cable.

4. The prime mover of claim 2 wherein said means for inserting andremoving said pin from said openings comprises:

a rocker pivotally mounted to said hitch seat;

means pivotally mounting said hitch pin to said rocker for movement intoand out of said openings when in registration; and

means for rocking said rocker to thereby insert and remove said hitchpin from said openings.

5. The prime mover of claim 4 and resilient means for urging said hitchpin into said openings.

